The Once and Future King
by CammieInTheMaking
Summary: We all know the legend of King Arthur rising again. Merlin has given up on finding him. Well, not given up. More like... has accepted that the time will come when they'll find each other. He decides to settle down a bit and brews a potion to make him seventeen again. Emrys Smith gets a degree and a job as a history teacher. But a simple day turns sour with a plot twist of life.
1. Chapter 1: Emrys

"You know that exchange we've been discussing for a few years now?" Recognition rippled through the room. "Well, it's done. Seven of Dulman Academy's senior body will be heading to the United States this winter and into the spring. One of you will be accompanying them."

"Who pulled the short straw on that job?" A woman off to the side asked.

She sighed. "Sorry Em." She said sincerely.

A short brunette heaved a sigh of relief. "Thank god. I've been babysitting that class for over three years now." Two women near her nodded in sympathy.

A brown-haired man clapped the black-haired man in question on the back. "Good luck, mate."

"Just hope you don't get the footballers! Don't let Bradley and his cronies fool you!" A maths teacher chimed in.

"Only 26 years old, he'll return with gray hairs. Emrys, I sincerely wish you good luck." Said a tall ginger.

"I'll have to treat you to a drink before you leave," a blond man chimed in.

"Thanks, Matt," Emrys said. "But let's see which miscreants I've got to look after for… how long is this exchange, Martha?"

The woman who originally informed them of the news looked up from her notebook. "Three and a half months. December, January, February, and the first half of March. But there's a follow-up trip scheduled for June, after exams and graduation. Sorry Emrys, but it's our first time doing something like this and we want to make sure it's done right."

Emrys shrugged. "I love these kids. Some of them. I'll be fine. Besides, free trip to America? Sign me up, I've always wanted to go. Who am I looking after?" _Last time I was in the States was in the 1900s, but then JFK was assassinated, and I got out of there. America's better now. It was beautiful. I guess this means more ground to cover looking for Arthur. The new Arthur._

"Well, that's going to be decided on during school hours. I'll swing by your classroom and tell you during three, ok?" Period three, period three… if it's Friday, that means no students for sixty minutes. Thankfully.

"Okay." He agreed. "So you'll tell me which seven will be blessed with my presence for an entire three and a half months then."

The meeting drew to a close and the teachers of Dulman Academy headed off to their classrooms in their wings, all conversing with some of their co-workers. Matt and Emrys headed off to the History Wing, where their classrooms waited, side by side. "Em, I'll buy you a dozen drinks if you wind up with both Eoin and Tom. Those two can _only_ mean trouble. And God forbid Santana decides to help them with anything, even if she's on a different continent."

Emrys chuckled. "They listen to me. Sometimes. But if I get Katie, I might just rip my hair out."

"Katie McGrath?"

"Of course. She acts like she owns the place and disrespects everyone. And there's just something about her that's very… off putting."

"I get you mate. Well, I'll stop by during three. I'll pretend I'm making copies or something. That would be my sophomores, they're usually well behaved." Matt promised.

"I wish my sophomores were. I only have one class of them and they all try to teach for me!"

"That's what happens when you get the top class of future historians." Matt laughed before unlocking his classroom's door. "Bye Em. See you in two hours!" Emrys nodded and walked away. _It's really easy to slide into this life. It just took one potion to make me age properly again, and it earned me my degree, a job. This was easy. Why was I homeless before? I could've been making legitimate money, properly. Well, it's been a few hundred years, so stop thinking about it, Merlin! The search for Arthur doesn't stop. But when he's reborn, I'll find him. Or he'll find me. It'll happen._

He snapped out of his thoughts when he realized he had walked straight past his classroom's door and very nearly into the wall of lockers. He looked at the locker in front of him. It felt… strange. He muttered a spell. His eyes went gold and it popped open. He looked around the inside, eyes scanning for whatever was drawing his attention. There was a dragon scale on the top shelf. A real, proper scale. He hurriedly shut the locker before turning around and letting himself into his own classroom. _Who is locker 392? Mental note: check locker registration later._

Emrys tidied up his classroom a bit, got work ready for his first two classes and sat down at his desk. He sighed. Seven of the (unruly, loud, and obnoxious) seniors. With him. For three and a half months. _Gaius, if you're up there, help me. Give me some well-behaved children. Please._ His first two classes on Fridays were, in fact, seniors, so as the one hundred and twenty-five minutes went by, he found himself making a list of who he'd hate to travel with, and who he wouldn't mind.

During the second period, Emrys kept thinking of the maths teacher warning him about Bradley. The only Bradley was Bradley James, who was a striker on the football team. He doesn't seem like that much of a problem. He oozes confidence and leadership, and his 'cronies' all listen to what he tells them to do. Bradley's 'cronies' being the other football players. The worst two were Eoin, a cocky, self-assured forward (the centre), who played well-he definitely had the arrogance and aggression, and Tom, a somewhat quiet, big guy, who was their main goalkeeper. But every once in a while you get a Rupert. Rupert Young was smart and he controlled his teammates quite well. He was Bradley's second-in-command, a sweeper, and damn good at it too. Emrys had been to plenty of football games over his lifetime, and if any of these boys could go professional, Rupert and Bradley could.

By the time the bell rang, his classroom cleared out, and the bell rang again to signal book switch being over, he was freaking out. _Relax Merlin. It's just seven teenagers._

 _Yeah,_ just _seven teenagers I'll be responsible for across the pond, with very little authority, and I don't even know which students!_

 _That's why Martha's coming in a while. She's going to tell you how lucky you are because you're getting some well-behaved kids._

 _Or to wish me luck because I have some of the devil's spawn in my group._

 _Stop being so pessimistic._

 _Stop being so optimistic._

Just as Emrys stopped his internal monologue, he heard the warning bell ring and the sound of heels clicking the tile in the hallway. Martha. He looked up to the doorway in enough time to watch her walk in, a sheet of yellow lined paper in her hand. She wordlessly handed it to him, her face expressionless.

"Martha?" He asked.

"Good luck," She said solemnly. "I'm so sorry. At least you got a slight break." And she walked away, heels clicking. "More details will be emailed from the superintendent." She called over her shoulder. Emrys listened to her heels click away. He unfolded the paper. "Hey mate!" Matt said as he popped his head into the doorframe. "I've got like five minutes. Who've you got?"

Emrys read aloud the following:

 **Santana Cabrera**

 **Angel Coulby**

 **Katie McGrath**

 **Tom Hopper**

 **Bradley James**

 **Eoin Macken**

 **Rupert Young**

"Bloody hell. They want you to die over there, don't they? Santa Cabrera. With Eoin Macken." He paused. "You're so bloody screwed mate. Beer's on me tonight. Definitely."

Emrys rested his head in his hands and groaned. "At least I've got Angel and Bradley. And Rupert."

"Don't call him Rupert though!" Matt warned. "He's pretty chill about it, but he goes by his middle name, Leon. So if you're spending three and a half months with him, I'd advise learning that name." Emrys didn't respond. "Are you okay mate?" _Other than the fact that Rupert does remind me of an old friend who's been dead for hundreds of years that was coincidentally named Leon? No, I'm fine._

"I'm good. Just shocked is all." He lied. "Leon. I can remember that. Founding Fathers for that drink tonight?"

"Sure. Oh, and Martha dropped a bomb on me before she talked to you. I'm taking over almost half your classes. A sub is taking the rest. So unfair." Matt complained.

"Sorry man," Emrys muttered. Matt cast one more concerned look at his friend before heading back to his room of sophomores.

 _Merlin, get yourself under control. This isn't the first time you've met someone you thought was one of them. The legend says nothing about the other knights, just Arthur. Only Arthur. That's who I'm looking for._


	2. Chapter 2: Bradley

"You can run faster than that!"

Bradley groaned and forced his legs to cover more space on the treadmill. His father, Anthony, wouldn't let up. Every morning he pushed his son for all he was worth and never quit. He rolled his eyes as his father clicked his stopwatch and he slowed to a walk. "You're slowing down." Anthony commented.

"Dad, this was longer than usual, can I just call it now?"

"No. But after you do fifty push-ups, I want to you to shower and be down for breakfast." Anthony James ordered his son. Bradley obediently got on the ground and the requested fifty push-ups. Groaning, he got up and made a show of limping up the stairs. "You're a football player, I expect to exaggerate!" His father called after him. "I'd be more disappointed if you didn't make a show of it!"

Rolling his eyes and sighing, Bradley shut his bedroom door behind him. He felt the sweat under his shirt and took it off accordingly. He stumbled his way into the attached bathroom. His dad made him run an extra two and a half miles that were completely unprecedented.

He undressed and stepped under the water. Boiling hot water poured down on him, and Bradley breathed a sigh of contentment. Nothing like a nice, hot shower.

While he was drying off, his phone rang. He recognized the ringtone. "Ah, Katie. What can I do for you?"

 _"_ _Quit fooling around Bradley. I think something suspicious is going on. At school. According to my mother, they pulled my records."_

"They?" He asked, confused.

 _"_ _The school!"_ She whispered urgently. _"They were going through my permanent record. Mine and over a dozen others. One of whom, I thought you should know, is a footballer named Bradley James."_

"Bradley James. Me. What would they want with our records?"

 _"_ _I don't know, Bradley! That's why I called you!"_

"Katie, it's probably nothing. Maybe something happened and they were trying to make sure no files were tampered with or something."

 _"_ _So they pulled our files? The footballers and the cheerleaders. Santana's name was brought up too you know!"_

"Calm down, Katie. It's probably nothing."

 _"_ _Maybe. But maybe not. Just meet me by my locker before homeroom. You know where it is."_

"I'm not sure… maybe… is it in the history wing?" He asked jokingly.

 _"_ _Shut up, Bradley. Be there."_ There was a click and a few beeps to tell him she had hung up. He smiled and laughed at Katie.

"She's paranoid." He said to himself. But it stuck in his mind. _Why would the school pull_ my _records? It's not like I do anything like vandalism or something. I've even told kids to stop making fun of teachers and other students! I'm an aid to that school, not a nuisance!_

Bradley stood up and got dressed for the day ahead. He checked the three calendars on his wall. No football practice after school today, no family events to attend, and no-wait. _I promised Katie and Santana I would go with them and Eoin to the Founding Fathers tonight. Damn it. I forgot._ He made sure to shut his door completely when he left. His dad made a habit of going his room unannounced. _What does he think I'm doing up here, drugs?_ As he walked down the stairs, he pulled a fake limp and a pained face.

"Suck it up, Bradley. Marie made pancakes today." Bradley looked at the maid.

"Thanks Marie! My favorite!" She nodded, smiled at Bradley, and said, "You're very welcome, prince."

"Marie. That was what you called me when I was seven. I'm seventeen now, you can stop. I'll eighteen in a month!"

"Bradley, I've called you 'prince' since the day I started working for you and your father. It's adorable. I can't wait until you bring a girl home and she hears…" Marie chuckled in amusement.

"But football and school come before girls, Bradley. But Marie, you've been good to us ever since you started working here, so you can keep calling him a prince." Anthony laughed.

"Dad!" Bradley protested. Marie placed a plate of pancakes with strawberries and blueberries on top in front of him a fork. They were gone in a matter of minutes. Picking up his bag, he said, "I've got to go, Katie asked me to meet her to discuss a project. I'll be home around 3:00."

"Alright, go show that school what you're worth." He rolled his eyes at his father's dramatics but hugged Marie quickly before leaving. She was a second mother to him after his own died.

A jog, with a lot of walking breaks, would give him enough time to truly think about the school pulling his permanent record. _There's a lot of stuff in that file._ Back in middle school, he had a few detentions for things like cheating, but he didn't know if the 'incident,' as it was referred, would be in the file. A kid had been making fun of a teacher, calling him a 'faggot' and other names just because he was gay. So, Bradley had punched the kid. And when the kid called _him_ a faggot, he just walked away. Until said kid insulted his mother, and then that kid wound up with a three day stay in a hospital. Other problems included random violent incidents, _all of which the kids deserved_ , and a lot of calls to his father.

High school was a different story. Late to class maybe once a semester, but he was clean otherwise. He was practically King of Dulman Academy, and his teachers all seemed to love him. He had to keep his nose clean in order to keep his as football captain.

Bradley arrived at the school and went to his locker. He was just inputting the code when Angel came up to her locker, one over from his left. "Hey, Angel." He smiled.

"Hey, Bradley." She smiled back, but this was more of a teasing smile. Like an 'I-know-what-you're-trying-to-do-and-it-won't-work-but-it's-sweet-that-you-still-try' kind of smile.

"So, you're not going to tell me about why Katie is freaking out about this permanent record thing?"

"No. But when she heard my name was mentioned she was relieved. I guess I'm just not capable of doing bad things." She laughed lightly as she started opening her locker. Bradley opened his locker and grabbed his books as Angel did the same. They bantered lightly, and Bradley flirted. Angel just shook her head through her laughter and said, "Katie's by her locker. She doesn't like to be kept waiting."

Bradley headed off as Angel went to homeroom. He passed Leon on the way, the two preceded to fist bump before heading in opposite directions. Leon and Angel are in the same homeroom. Katie, Eoin, and Santana are in the second homeroom, while he and Tom were in the third with a bunch of second team footballers.

He saw Katie pacing by her locker. "Hey Kat." He started.

"Katie, Bradley. You know that. Call me Katie. Now, this permanent record business. I'm worried." She whispered.

"Why? What's on there that you're so worried about?"

She looked at him with wide, panicked eyes. "Nothing." She said hurriedly.

 _Well, clearly it's something, Katie. I won't pressure her._ "Okay then. We still on for Founding Fathers tonight?"

"Yeah." Katie relaxed. "Santana and I are getting a ride from her older sister. Any chance we can go home with you if we get too drunk?" Bradley chuckled. _I forgot the three of them can drink._ As if she read his mind, she commented, "Don't worry Brad. We'll buy you a drink or two."

"I turn eighteen next month!" He defended. "You all just rub it while you still can."

"You're the baby, Bradley. You always will be. But that ride?"

" _When_ ," he corrected, "you get drunk, I will drive you home. I was already planning to drive Eoin." The bell rang. The pair exchanged panicked looks and headed off towards trig. Sliding into their desks on opposite sides of the room, the teacher walked in and noticed the two taking out their books.

"Mr. James. Miss McGrath. I sincerely hope you were not displaying public affection in the halls of Dulman Academy." She said stuffily.

"No, Mrs. O'Neil." They chorused. The other members of the class stifled their laughter. Except for one boy, whom the teacher went ahead and yelled at, making him the center of attention.

Just before the fourth period began, Eoin, Tom, Santana, and Bradley were all talking, or rather, Tom and Bradley talked while Eoin and Santana plotted. And exchanged saliva. Just before the bell, the secretary's voice came over the loudspeaker system. "Could Santana Cabrera, Angel Coulby, Katie McGrath, Tom Hopper, Bradley James, Eoin Macken, and Rupert Young please report to the headmaster's office."

The four exchanged panicked expressions before calming down and walking down the hallway to the office in question. They met up with Leon and Tom walking through the history wing and Angel rushed up to them just before they turned the corner. The door sat there, slightly forbidding.

The bell rang, and in the silence that followed, Angel reached up her left arm and knocked once, twice, three times. Katie shot Bradley a pointed I-told-you-so expression, but everyone acted cool, calm, and collected. Mr. Lassiter, the headmaster, pulled open the door. "I will speak to each of you one by one, so if you would mind taking a seat," he gestured to the bench and chairs that typically sat outside his office, "I'll start with Miss McGrath." He waved his arm towards the doorway, and the green-eyed girl walked through. He shut the door behind them.

"Looks like we're here for a while. Better get comfortable." Eoin said, plopping down on a chair. Angel took the other one, Santana squeezed in with Eoin and the pair continued their activities. Bradley and Tom took the bench and talked with Leon, who remained standing and leaned against the wall.

Katie came out looking relieved with a manila envelope. "Mr. James." The headmaster requested. Bradley stood up and offered Katie his seat before walking into the office. "You are aware that you have outstanding academics?" He nodded. "And you are a model of what we expect from our students?" More nodding. "Well, you've been selected for a foreign exchange. You, and your classmates in the hallway if they accept, will be heading to America in December and won't be coming back until March. As you are aware, Mr. James, it is currently November 23rd, and the flight is scheduled for December 7th. This paperwork is due back by December 2nd. You will be able to return in December for the 23rd through to the 26th for the holidays, and all the other details like that will be in this envelope alongside the paperwork you need to fill out." Mr. Lassiter passed the blond student a manila envelope identical to Katie's.

"I will give you all notes of excusal after I've finished talking to all of you." He stood up and Bradley followed his lead. The door was opened, so he stepped through as the headmaster spoke, "Miss Cabrera and Mr. Macken- do _not_ make out in this hallway or elsewhere on school grounds or I will give you detention!" The cheerleader and footballer in question snapped apart. "Now, Mr. Young." Leon stepped into the office while Bradley opened his envelope and noticed Katie had done the same. Mr. Lassiter hadn't lied, it was all paperwork and there was four paper print out calendars of December through March that lined out the basics of the trip.

 _I've always wanted to go to America, and I guess it would look amazing to the universities I'm applying to. My god, they need to know a lot of information for this. Blood type? I seriously hope they don't need that to come into play_. Mr. Lassiter went through Leon, then Eoin, Santana, Tom, and finally Angel. He called the group back into his office and handed them all passes excusing their absence from class and warned them not to mention the exchange to other students until next week. They went back their separate ways, back to class.


	3. Chapter 3: Emrys

When the final bell rang, Emrys grabbed his bag and some papers and tests to grade and started heading home. While he was signing out, Martha stopped him. "Em, here's some paperwork for that trip. We'll need it by the second of December."

"Alright Martha. I'll do that this weekend. See you on Monday!"

"See you on Monday, Em."

He walked out and started walking home. He had to walk around the football field and saw some of the guys fooling around and showing off, but didn't see any of the players that were on his list. Continuing the walk home, the teacher saw a lone figure sitting behind a tree, bag in his lap.

Intrigued and concerned, Emrys walked over to the figure. As he got closer, he recognized Bradley James.

"Bradley?" Emrys asked his student.

"Oh, Mr. Smith. Hello." He greeted him cordially. After a pause, he asked, "What are you doing here, Mr. Smith?"

"I could ask you the same, Bradley." He asked, smiling.

"I usually come here to think, sorry. Seeing the trees and the forest helps me think clearer. But why are you here?"

"Well, I was heading home and I saw a figure sitting here suspiciously. I followed up."

"You're the teacher in charge of that trip to America, aren't you?" Bradley asked.

"I am." He confirmed. "Have you decided if you're going?"

"That's what I was thinking about," Bradley said, as if it were obvious.

Emrys laughed. "Well, it's a near once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go to the States, so I'd recommend taking the trip. I know I'm not everyone's favorite teacher-"

He was cut off. "-You're an amazing teacher! You always get into the history and background, like you were there."

"Well, when we get back, we're delving into one of my favorite times of history, King Arthur and the knights of Camelot. I'll be getting pretty into that section of history, I grew up loving it." _That's definitely the truth._

Bradley's head perked up. "I loved those stories as a kid!" He hopped up from the ground with grace. "You know what, Mr. Smith? I'll go to America. If you're the teacher, it'll probably be fun!" They started walking back towards the sidewalk.

"I'm glad I could convince you. See you on Monday. Don't forget that paperwork!"

"Bye, Mr. Smith." Bradley said as he started walking down the sidewalk.

"Well I'd say goodbye to you too, but it appears we're heading in the same direction." He gestured down the sidewalk.

"I guess we are then." They walked in a comfortable silence. They surprised each other, when they both turned left at the next street junction, and they walked together until they turned down one street and Bradley passed a nice, two story house that was about average size and Emrys stopped.

Bradley quickly realized his teacher was no longer walking with him and stopped. "Oh." He said, sounding quite dejected. "This is where you live?"

"Is there something wrong with that?"

"No." He rushed to say. "I guess I'll see you on Monday, Mr. Smith. Bye."

"Goodbye, Bradley. See you on Monday." Emrys said and waved as the boy continued heading down the sidewalk. He unlocked his front door and stepped inside. Bradley made him feel normal. Not out of place, like everything else did. _That's not normal, Merlin._

 _Yes, it is, Merlin. It's called a 'friendship.' That might be hard for you to understand since your last true friend was Arthur!_

 _But he's my student._

 _And?_

 _And that's taboo in this day and age, right?_

 _Like I know?_ He thought as he placed his bag down and pulled out the tests that needed grading. He only got through two before getting curious. He went through the paperwork for that trip to America. Emrys grabbed a blue pen and got to work filling in blanks and lines and signing and so on and so forth. When he finally finished the extensive forms, his phone buzzed.

 _Hey mate. You picking me up? Or me you?_

 **I can pick you up. We both know you'll get drunk.**

 _I promised to buy you drinks though :(_

 **And you can still do that. You'll drive my car.**

 _Alright then_

 _You coming by soon?_

Emrys glanced at his watch and nearly jumped out of his seat. **Yeah, I'm heading out now.**

 _Is that code for you lost track of time?_

 **Shut up**

 _Just hurry up_

Emrys ran up to his room and changed into something less work appropriate, more relaxed and nearly ran out the door and into his car. As he was trying not to speed he realized how simple driving a car was. _It only took me about 40 years to master the skill._

He slammed on the brakes as a light turned yellow. _Scratch that, I still suck at this._

When the history teacher pulled up to his coworker's apartment building, the blond-haired man was waiting for him. Smirking a bit, he stepped into the car. "Your hair is quite the mess, Em." He laughed. "You really did lose track of time."

"Shut up Matt. You know I'm not good with time." He complained while attempting to fix his hair in the mirror.

"Clearly." They headed off to the restaurant and pub together, mainly with Matt bringing up how lucky Emrys is to go to America but unlucky Emrys is to have those particular students.

When they finally pulled into the parking lot across the street, Matt nearly hopped out of the car while Emrys walked after him. They walked in and got seats at the bar. "Two Guinness." Matt said to the bartender. As she turned around and grabbed glasses, Matt looked around. "No one here is going to judge us for getting too drunk, right?"

Emrys laughed. "Well, I won't be getting 'too drunk,' so I think we're okay."

After Matt had downed five beers and Emrys two and a half, and their plate of wings was gone, the black-haired man excused himself to go to the toilet. He headed towards the back corner, where he knew the restrooms were.

"Sorry!" He excused quickly when he bumped into a blonde just inside the door. "Bradley?" He recognized.

"Oh, hey, Mr. Smith." Bradley said casually, as if they hadn't just met in a bar's toilet. "What are you doing here?"

Emrys realized something. "Drinking _legally_. Aren't you underage?"

"Oh! I haven't been drinking. Well, I've had one beer, that I'm actually still working on. Eoin, Katie, and Santana are the ones who are getting drunk."

"Alright, well, I can't endorse underage drinking, but I'm not going to stop you, just… I suggest you drive the other three to their houses, rather than letting any of them near a steering wheel." He reached a hand out to his shoulder. "Bradley, don't let them- Bradley?" At the contact, his student had started falling, passed out. Time slowed down as Emrys' eyes glowed gold and gave Emrys enough time to catch the teen before his head hit the tiled floor. "Bradley? Bradley? Come on, Bradley, wake up…"

In less than ten seconds, Emrys saw eyelids blink open and blue eyes that focused on nothing. When the blue eyes suddenly focused on his own, Bradley spoke. "Merlin, what-what happened?" Shocked, Emrys didn't respond. _How did he know that name? No one knows that name in association with me. I told Bradley earlier we were learning about King Arthur and Merlin, that must be what it is. He's disoriented._ Bradley's eyes unfocused and then focused again. He sat up abruptly. "Mr. Smith? What happened?"

"You passed out, Bradley. Are you sure you only had one drink?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. I'm good Mr. Smith. I think. I'll just head back to my friends." He hurriedly scrambled up from the ground and watched Emrys slowly stand up. "Thank you, for catching me."

"You're welcome, Bradley. I'll just walk you over to your friends, make sure you're okay." Emrys insisted.

"Alright." He conceded, and the pair headed out of the bathroom. Bradley pointed to where, sure enough, Katie, Eoin, and Santana all sat, completely unaware of what had just happened. Emrys walked him over.

"Hey, Mr. Smith." Eoin greeted.

"Hello, Mr. Smith." Santana and Katie chorused. The three seemed tipsy. "What are you doing here?" Eoin slurred the 'you.'

Bradley turned towards the history teacher. "I'll be fine, you always worry too much anyways. I'll just order a soda, get sugar in my system. Go back to… who are you with?"

"Matt-Mr. Mercer. As long as you're sure. See you on Monday, alright?"

"See you on Monday. This time it's true." He joked.

Emrys walked away, back towards Matt. He sat down at the bar, "Hey."

"Why are you late?"

"Someone passed out in the bathroom. He drank too much." He lied. _Why did Bradley say I 'always worry too much?' He's barely met me._ The rest of the night, he couldn't think of anything but what Bradley had said. They sounded on replay throughout his mind, no matter what Matt said or did.

 _Merlin, what-what happened?_

 _You always worry too much anyways._

 _Merlin, what-what happened?_

 _You always worry-_ "Emrys." Matt whined. "Can we go home?" Emrys had lost track of how many drinks his friend had, but by the way he couldn't stand properly, it was a very high number.

"Sure, Matt. I'll drive you home." He downed the rest of his beer and, after checking with the bartender that the tab was taken care of, he guided his drunken friend out of the bar and across the street to his car.

When his car pulled up to the four-story apartment building his friend lived in for the second time that night, he parked in the back lot. He helped his friend out of his car and up the stairs to the second floor.

By the time Emrys finally pulled up to his own house, his mind was still spinning and he was exhausted.

 _Merlin, what-what happened? You always worry too much anyways._

 _Why did he call me Merlin? There's no way Bradley could be… he couldn't be Arthur. I'd have noticed earlier, it's Arthur. Arthur. I'd know him anywhere. And he said I 'always worried too much,' like he knew me. Maybe he is Arthur. NO. No. Bradley James is not Arthur Pendragon. He cannot be._ Realizing his car was still running, he turned it off and headed inside. Emrys flopped down on his couch and just lay there, with Bradley's voice echoing in his mind.

He was drifting off into sleep when he heard a knock at his door.


	4. Chapter 4: Bradley

**I am so so sorry for how late this is… I went to a convention and got to meet some truly amazing actors (and John Barrowman remembered me *dies*) and so I've been sidetracked, because I've had to work longer because of the time I took off, and- *deep breath* basically, this was a legitimate break. Also, school is about to start and I've done nothing. So here's an extra long chapter that I worked on. On to Merlin!**

By the end of the school day, when Katie, Santana, and Eoin had hunted him down just to confirm their plans at Founding Fathers for later, Bradley walked out of the school building alone. It was only 2:15, and he had told his father 3:00, just to be safe, so he headed around the football field, going the long way, so none of his teammates would try to interrupt his thinking. When he found his way into the small wooded area behind the fields, Bradley found his favorite tree and leaned against it. His eyes closed softly and he thought about this opportunity to be on American soil, and for three and a half months! _It's definitely not a chance I'll readily get again, but it's a big decision to make. A_ really _big decision to make. My father would obviously want to make sure I take it but do I really want to? The football season is over now, for winter, but when we return in the spring, the season will be about to begin._

 _Bradley, life isn't all about football. This is a fantastic opportunity! Imagine the fun I'll have, the memories I'll make!_

 _But to be away for that long… To be so far from home…_

 _But think of the independence! And it would all have to happen sooner or later, university is coming up, and can you imagine-_

"Bradley?" A familiar voice interrupted his thoughts.

As he opened his eyes, he saw his kind-faced, concerned history teacher. "Oh, Mr. Smith. Hello. What are you doing here?" He wondered aloud.

The black-haired man responded with a smile and a joking, "I could ask you the same, Bradley."

"I usually come here to think, sorry. Seeing the trees and the forest helps me think clearer. But why are you here?" He persisted.

"Well, I was heading home and I saw a figure sitting here suspiciously. I followed up." _That's a really legitimate reason._

"You're the teacher in charge of that trip to America, aren't you?" He asked. _Maybe it wouldn't be so bad with Mr. Smith in charge._

Another smile. "I am. Have you decided if you're going?" _Have you?_

"That's what I was thinking about." That sparked a laugh from Mr. Smith.

"Well, it's a near once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go to the States, so I'd recommend taking the trip. I know I'm not everyone's favorite teacher-"

Bradley couldn't help but object. "-You're an amazing teacher! You always get into the history and background, like you were there."

"Well, when we get back, we're delving into one of my favorite times of history, King Arthur and the knights of Camelot. I'll be getting pretty into that section of history, I grew up loving it." _No way! I used to love those stories too!_

"I loved those stories as a kid!" And with that, he pulled himself off the ground. "You know what, Mr. Smith? I'll go to America. If you're the teacher, it'll probably be fun!" The two walked over towards the sidewalk.

He smiled for yet another time. "I'm glad I could convince you. See you on Monday. Don't forget that paperwork!"

"Bye, Mr. Smith," Bradley said as he started walking down the sidewalk. He turned left.

"Well I'd say goodbye to you too, but it appears we're heading in the same direction." Mr. Smith gestured towards where Bradley was heading.

He felt himself shrug. "I guess we are then." They walked side by side down streets and sidewalks, not saying anything. Bradley was glad for the lack of conversation. Everyone else always talked, non-stop, and it got frustrating. Mr. Smith seemed to understand the quiet. Except for a humming, a light and happy tune that the older man didn't seem to be aware he was making. Bradley didn't mind. They just walked along until he noticed the humming was gone. He stopped walking and turned around, and noticed that Mr. Smith had started heading up a driveway. "Oh." He said, already missing the comfortable silence. "This is where you live?" He asked, hoping it wouldn't be true and they could just keep walking.

Mr. Smith tensed up and said defensively, "Is there something wrong with that?"

He rushed to answer. "No! I guess I'll see you on Monday, Mr. Smith. Bye." _Great, now he thinks you were making fun of his house._

"Goodbye, Bradley. See you on Monday." He waved and Bradley continued walking down the sidewalk. He glanced back in time to see the lithe frame disappear inside the house.

He walked on, feeling lonely. _Everyone expects so much from me, but that was… different. It was just relaxed. If that's what the trip to America is going to be like, I'm_ definitely _going. No matter what. Just the feeling of freedom would be worth it._ He barely noticed arriving at his house and it wasn't until he dropped his keys that his brain even processed that information. _Oh wow, Mr. Smith and I live really close._ The blond turned around and looked out. _He's got to be like three streets down the road._ Picking up his keys he let himself inside and got to work on some of his trigonometry homework. _Call me a nerd, I just like to know that it's done, okay?_

"Marie!" Bradley called, noticing how truly silent the house was. He liked quiet, not _silent_. Still nothing but the cold, echoing depths of silence. He stood up and headed downstairs. He had missed a note on the table.

 _Bradley- I went grocery shopping, should be home around 3:30 -Marie_

She even drew hearts on top of the 'i's like she always has. He grabbed an apple and retreated to his room where he attempted to figure out the paperwork required to go to the U. S. When Marie came home, he asked for her help with some of the information needed. She helped as much as she could, and didn't really ask questions, knowing he would say when and what he wanted to.

Bradley left before his father got home and drove to pick up his three friends. First Katie, then Eoin, and, _shocker_ , Santana was at his place. With Katie in the front seat, controlling the music, they were listening to Ariana Grande with Nicki Minaj and Bradley was rolling his eyes while he found a parking space. Gladly, he turned off the engine and was saved from hearing any more about "walking side to side."

As they entered the old brick building, Eoin ran ahead and ordered their typical drinks while the other three searched for a table. While they discussed America and their teachers, Bradley sipped on a bottle of Budweiser while Santana enjoyed her Yuengling, Eoin his Heineken, and Katie her Corona. He lost track of how many times the other three got up and got more bottles, but he just sipped on his one. When Katie and Santana discussed how they might not be able to miss that much cheerleading practice, Bradley excused himself to go to the bathroom. He couldn't take much more of _that_ conversation. He paced the tiled floor for a few minutes and was about to head back when the door opened and a man bumped into him.

"Sorry!" The voice exclaimed. "Bradley?" He looked up into ocean blue eyes.

"Oh, hey, Mr. Smith. What are you doing here?" _How do we keep running into each other like this?_

"Drinking _legally._ Aren't you underage?"

"Oh!" _This is a bar. Oops._ "I haven't been drinking." Mr. Smith looked skeptical. "Well, I've had _one_ beer, that I'm actually still working on. Eoin, Katie, and Santana are the ones who are getting drunk." He elaborated.

Looking concerned, Mr. Smith continued, "Alright, well, I can't endorse underage drinking, but I'm not going to stop you, just… I suggest you drive the other three to their houses, rather than letting any of them _near_ a steering wheel." He watched his teacher reach out an arm and rested it on his shoulder. "Bradley, don't let them-"

Suddenly, the ground shifted beneath his feet. Blackness enveloped him, and he blinked open his eyes. He was in a nice bed, and his servant walked in. "Ah. Merlin. What's for breakfast this morning?" _Of course, Merlin's bringing him breakfast. He's probably late, as usual._

"Nothing you like." He muttered loudly. Arthur picked up a pillow and threw it at the red-shirted man. "Alright, alright. Sausages! Happy?"

"Very." Just as Merlin went to set the plate down on the table, blackness surrounded him yet again. When he opened his eyes this time, he saw the same head of raven hair. "Merlin, what-" That didn't sound right. "What happened?" He saw bright white spots and then noticed his teacher. "Mr. Smith? What happened?"

"You passed out, Bradley. Are you sure you only had one drink?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. I'm good Mr. Smith. I think. I'll just head back to my friends." He quickly hopped up off the ground and felt slightly dizzy. He rested his hand on the wall and the room stopped spinning. Apparently, Mr. Smith had stood up. "Thank you, for catching me."

Looking concerned, he responded, "You're welcome, Bradley. I'll just walk you over to your friends, make sure you're okay."

 _At least he cares enough to offer._ "Alright." And with that, the two walked out of the small room and he pointed to the table of his friends. They were back to discussing America.

Eoin was the first to look up. "Hey, Mr. Smith."

Santana and Katie gave each other the look, the one they exchanged before talking in-sync. "Hello, Mr. Smith." And there it was.

"What are yoouuuu doing here?" _Well, Eoin's definitely drunk_.

Despite Bradley waving off Eoin and sitting down, his teacher still lingered. "I'll be fine," _Why does this conversation feel so familiar?_ "You always worry too much anyway. I'll just order a soda, get sugar in my system. Go back to…" It occurred to Bradley he had no clue who Mr. Smith was even here with. "Who are you with?"

"Matt-uh, Mr. Mercer. If you're sure. See you on Monday, alright?"

"See you on Monday. This time it's true." Bradley joked.

Mr. Smith still looked concerned, but he turned and walked away.

"Bradley, what actually happened?" Katie asked.

"I'll explain later." Bradley waved her off. Eoin was being quite flirtatious and Santana laughed at him lightly.

"Eoin, don't drink anymore. You'll do things you'll regret."

"How could I regret anything that involves you?" He asked, and he kissed her. Katie rolled her eyes at Bradley. Eoin continued talking until Santana cut him off. "Bradley, Katie, let's go home before Eoin here makes a bigger fool of himself."

Katie stood up. "Excellent idea. I'll pay for the tab."

"Katie, I can't let you do that!" Bradley interjected.

She rolled her green eyes at him. "No one needs to know you were here while underage. No one except apparently your history teacher." Her eyes now twinkled with laughter.

"Fine." He agreed, knowing if she paid now, she'd listen to him later when he relays what exactly occurred in that bathroom. As she walked away, flipping her black hair over her shoulder, Santana ushered Eoin towards the door and Bradley followed. He glanced around the establishment. Sure enough, two figures that, from the back, looked conspicuously like Mr. Mercer and Mr. Smith sat at the bar.

He studied his friends who had drank about the same amount, yet Eoin was clearly far drunker. He'd never understand. _Eoin and alcohol means bad decisions, yet Santana and alcohol means good decisions. How those two are a couple and have survived this long- despite both of them being constant flirts with nearly everybody else!_ _I truly never will understand how they get along so well_. Just as Santana had buckled Eoin in for the third time and he unclicked it for, you guessed it, the _third_ time, the passenger side door swung open and Katie stepped in. Bradley started driving away, leaving the Founding Fathers, the scene of the… well, he didn't quite know what to call it. It didn't feel like a hallucination, it was too real for that. But it can't have been a memory or flashback…

He must've been on auto-pilot because soon he pulled to the Cabrera's residence and the backseat was emptied. He and Katie waved goodbye to the pair and as the car took to the roads once more, Bradley decided then was the time to ask Katie, "Do you mind if we head to mine? I need to talk to you about what happened."

"I don't mind." She said immediately. "As long you promise to tell me the truth."

"Of course." He agreed. "I'll start now, I guess. You know why I left the table. You and Santana were discussing cheerleading, and Eoin was perched on the edge of his seat, waiting to make some drunken, sexual remarks. I went to the bathroom and was just waiting for a reasonable amount of time, when the door opened and Mr. Smith bumped into me. We talked briefly and I guess I passed out. You saw me, what I had been drinking. Maybe I was dehydrated or something, but then I was… dreaming, I guess. It felt real though. I was in a bed, and-" _Should I tell her about Merlin/Mr. Smith? It might make me seem even crazier. No. I won't. But I tell Katie everything… I guess maybe I should-_

"Bradley? You still with me?" The blonde blinked forcefully. He hadn't even realized that they had arrived in front of his house. He parked in the garage and the two walked into the kitchen. Marie had gone home for the day and he was suddenly aware of how hungry he was. Katie helped him into a chair and volunteered to make something simple.

Incredibly grateful for her charity, he continued his story. Just a slightly abridged version. "Well, I had just woken up, and a servant came into the room. I knew his name. I called him Merlin, and I think I was Arthur. Like in the stories. He was bringing me breakfast, and then- then I woke up. I was on the ground, Mr. Smith had caught me. You know the rest." He had watched her make three sandwiches and now watched as she cut one in half and gave him a plate, with one half and one whole sandwich. They ate in silence, as Katie scrutinized her friend.

"Well," She said, after finishing. "I have no clue what you want me to tell you. Have you been thinking a lot about King Arthur and Merlin?"

"I guess so, but I always picture Merlin, as, well, an old man, you know, full-length beard and all, but in this… _dream_ … he was young. Maybe our age. A bit older." _Old enough to be our teacher_.

"I'm sorry I can't be of more help, I wish I was. Unfortunately, I've been drinking, I _don't_ have a degree in phycology, and you were probably just had low blood sugar. Do you have any soda around here? The fridge, right?" Bradley nodded. She went over and grabbed a can of cola before popping the top and placing it in his hand. If her hands stayed wrapped around his for longer than necessary, neither mentioned it. When Katie's phone went off, a call from her mother, she picked up.

"Hello? Hi, Mom. Yes, I'm okay. Everything's fine. Alright. I will. Bye." She hung up. "Mind giving me a ride home?" She asked.

"I was the one who brought you here, Mor-Katie. Katie." He repeated. _Morgana. I was about to say Morgana. What is happening to me?_ "Sorry, I don't know why I said that. Must still be a bit disoriented." He tipped back the rest of his soda and stood up. "Let's go then." They headed into the car and Bradley's ears were greeted with Bad Blood by Taylor Swift. He groaned audibly and Katie changed the station for him. She flipped through until he heard, "-get up and go" and said, "Stop!" She leaned back in her seat and Don't Bring Me Down by the Electric Light Orchestra played, followed by The Knack's My Sharona all the way to the McGrath residence. He hugged her and thanked her before she got out and then drove away, but decided he would try to get more information on what had happened.

So of course, Bradley James found himself headed to the home of one specific history teacher named Mr. Smith. He walked up to the white door and rapped his knuckles once.


	5. Chapter 5: Emrys

Emrys hauled himself off the couch, feeling groggy. _Can a guy not fall asleep after a long day?_ He opened the door. Suddenly, he was wide awake.

"Bradley? What are you doing here?"

"Can I come in?" Emrys stepped aside and let the blonde in. "Look, I know this isn't normal, and I'm sure you're tired…" He drifted off. "Did I wake you? I am so sorry, I didn't mean to, if you were asleep-"

"Bradley, I wasn't asleep. Not yet, anyway. So why are you here?"

"The memory- I mean, hallucination, or whatever it was. You just seemed… surprised. Why?" He pressed. _If he's calling it a memory, that's not good. If he's Arthur, I would know. Wouldn't I?_ "Mr. Smith? Why were you surprised?"

"Oh, I don't know. Well, when I was younger, my friends used to call me Merlin." Emrys lied. "They uh- well, I don't really know why they did it. So when you said it, I was surprised because I hadn't heard that name in a while. It's been years. I don't talk to those friends much, not since I moved to the UK."

"Okay," Bradley said. "I feel stupid now."

"Why _did_ you call me Merlin?" Emrys pressed.

The teenager froze. He looked conflicted and then resolved. _Is he wondering whether or not to trust me or something? If he were Arthur, he wouldn't have to think about it. Right?_ "When I passed out-" Bradley started. "Well, earlier, when I fainted, I saw… something. That felt real. I was in a bed, in a… _castle_ , I think. A man walked in, and I knew who he was. I _knew_. His name was Merlin, and he was bringing me breakfast. I think I was Arthur. Like, King Arthur in the legends? We were talking about him earlier, so I was probably just thinking about that, right?"

 _Okay. So that's definitely a thing._ "Can you tell me anything else that happened in this… dream? Did you two talk?" He pressed. _If I can hear what he said, it might sound like the Arthur I know_.

"Well, I said… um… I said 'Merlin, what's for breakfast?' and I believe he responded with… um… he was muttering 'nothing you like' but I knew it was a joke, so I threw a pillow at him. He ducked like it was normal, and said… 'sausages,' and asked, 'happy?' I think. So I said, 'very' and then everything went black. I was back in the bathroom, but all I saw was… well, was your hair, so I thought you were Merlin. I'm probably just crazy."

"Maybe." Emrys chuckled. Inside, he was panicking. _That could've been one of a hundred days. But it's something that would've happened._

Bradley continued. "Wait, I remember thinking… that he was probably late, and that was normal. My family has had a maid since my mother passed, and she was never late a day. Maybe once or twice when she had a legitimate reason, but it was never a normal thing. That probably means nothing."

"Well Bradley, I'm not sure what you what me to say," Emrys started to dismiss what he had said. He didn't get very far. Suddenly, Bradley James was heading towards the ground for the second time that night. Emrys' eyes burned gold as, once more, Bradley's fall slowed and Emrys launched himself forward and caught him. Again.

 _One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten. Eleven. Twelve. Thirteen. Fourteen. Fifteen. Sixteen. Seventeen._ Emrys counted. At eighteen, blue eyes appeared and focused on Emrys. "Arthur?" Emrys said lightly.

"Merlin." He breathed. Then he passed out again. _One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten. Eleven. Twelve. Thirteen. Fourteen. Fifteen. Sixteen. Seventeen. Eighteen._ Blue eyes again. "Mr. Smith?" He asked. "I passed out again, didn't I?"

"Twice. What did you see?"

"Well, we- I mean, Merlin and I, were…" _We? He did not just say we. Who am I kidding he did just say we._ "I'm not quite sure where we were. But I was knuckling him, like rubbing my knuckles in his hair, and he was complaining, so when I stopped, I joked, 'I feel like you need to get in shape' and then I looked at his hair and said, 'that's better.' He responded with… I think he said thanks, I'm not sure. Then everything was black again, and when it wasn't, we were in a field, a training area, I think. I offered to help him with something, and he responded with "I wouldn't if I were you.' We were teasing each other in that one." He looked up, sky blue eyes worried. "Am I okay?"

"Bradley, I think you're fine. You know how certain religions believe in rebirth? Like Sikhism, Hinduism, and Buddhism?"

"So you're saying I'm King Arthur. Reincarnate. Like Jesus." The blonde said, monotonous. "Mr. Smith, no offense, but that sounds idiotic. I'm no king."

"Maybe you were." Emrys tried to reason. "They felt real, right? And you loved the stories growing up, maybe that was because you had lived it before."

"Mr. Smith, I appreciate your catching me. I have to go. No offense meant, but I do not believe I am King Arthur reincarnate. Good-" For what was now the third time that night, Emrys' eyes burned, Bradley's fall slowed enough for him to be caught. Emrys started counting. Sure enough, at eighteen, he woke up again. "Merlin? Where am I?"

"Arthur? You're safe." Emrys whispered. _How can this be Arthur? It's been so long, I can't believe…_ "Here, how about you sleep?" He half carried the former king to the couch. He seemed to be in a half-lucid state.

"Okay, Merlin. You don't have to be so pushy." Bradley, or Arthur, laid down on the couch and Emrys ran upstairs to grab a blanket and pillow. By the time he came back, small snores greeted his ears. Rolling his eyes, Emrys gently lifted the blonde head and slid the pillow underneath. The blanket was lightly placed over him and Emrys took a seat in the arm chair.

 _Four flashbacks. Three times he collapsed. Twice he's called me Merlin. And here he is. Bradley is definitely Arthur. How did I not see it before? It's the hair, the smile, the laugh, the eyes. It's_ him _. He remembered certain moments, but then denied that he could even_ possibly _be Arthur. It's such an Arthur thing to do, deny his capability with that kind of influence and power. Arthur always was insecure about his potential to rule the kingdom._

 _Not that he showed the public that side of him._ Emrys thought wryly.

 _When he wakes up, will he still be Arthur? Or will he be Bradley? What about his family? He said his mother was dead- I guess some things are the same._ He thought back to his strongest memories of Arthur. He mentally pictured the king in comparison to Bradley. How had he not seen it before? It's the smile, the laugh, the face.

He drifted off and the next thing he knew his phone was going off. Rubbing the crick that had formed in his neck, he turned ignored the call from Matt. _I'll call him later._ Instinct, a natural instinct he hadn't felt in hundreds and thousands of years, took over and he found himself in the kitchen, making pancakes and bacon for Arthur/Bradley. Whichever he may be when he wakes up. "Mr. Smith?" _Bradley. It's Bradley. That's probably a good thing, or it will be, in the long run._

He turned and faced his student. _But for now, it's just awkward._ "Okay, Bradley, this may seem weird." _Seem weird? It is weird._ "You drove here last night, and then you passed out."

There was a long pause and the blonde seemed to be deep in thought. But when he finally did speak, he said, "I guess I did." He seemed to go further in thought, and for a second, Emrys thought he would lose Bradley again, and get Arthur back. But when he spoke again, he asked for bacon. Emrys laughed. _No matter how much he denies it, and even if he isn't Arthur, he is similar enough to him to fool even Gwen._

And then it hit him. _Gwen. I knew Guinevere Pendragon. She had the kindest soul I've met in nearly two thousand years. And the person to come closest in all those years is Angel Coulby. Smart girl. Seems to be as close to Bradley as Gwen was to Arthur. And they look very similar… I never thought. Well, who is Arthur without Gwen? Or some of his knights? But who are they?_


End file.
